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English lesson plan · 8th grade (Year 9 in England) · 45 minutes

Commas: restrictive vs non-restrictive, coordinate adjectives

Punctuation

CCSS L.7.2.ACCSS L.9-10.2England: GCSE English Language (SPaG)England: SAT Standard English Conventions

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Commas: restrictive vs non-restrictive, coordinate adjectives.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Commas after fronted adverbials and subordinate clauses; Relative clauses

Leads to: Punctuation between clauses (SAT/ACT); Essential or non-essential? Commas with appositives and clauses

Materials: Punctuation cards, A short unpunctuated text, Highlighters, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 5 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Commas after fronted adverbials and subordinate clauses; Relative clauses). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Which sentence has the comma in the right place? • When the bell, rings line up quietly. • When the bell rings, line up quietly. • When, the bell rings line up quietly. • When the bell rings line up, quietly. (When the bell, rings line up quietly. / When the bell rings, line up quietly. / When, the bell rings line up quietly. / When the bell rings line up, quietly.) → When the bell rings, line up quietly.Prompt: Find where the opening phrase or clause ends and the main clause begins.
  2. Which part of the sentence is the relative clause? My bike, which is bright red, has a broken bell. (My bike / has a broken bell / is bright red, has / which is bright red) → which is bright redPrompt: Look for who, which, that, where, when or whose.
  3. A: Ready, Mum? Let's go! B: Ready Mum? Let's go! Which sentence is punctuated correctly? (A / B) → APrompt: Read both sentences aloud, pausing at each comma.

Hook · 5 min

  • Read a short passage with no punctuation and let the class hear why it's confusing.
  • Share the objective: Commas: restrictive vs non-restrictive, coordinate adjectives. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 10 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: Which sentence is punctuated correctly? • She wore a bright, red scarf. • She wore a bright red scarf.
  • Step 1: Non-restrictive clauses and appositives take commas; restrictive clauses (including 'that' clauses) do not. Coordinate adjectives (you could put 'and' between them) take a comma.
  • Step 2: 'bright' describes 'red', not the scarf; you would not say 'bright and red', so no comma.
  • Step 3: So the answer is: She wore a bright red scarf.
  • Answer: She wore a bright red scarf.
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 10 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. Which sentence is punctuated correctly? • My brother, who lives in Canada, is a chef. (I have only one brother.) • My brother who lives in Canada is a chef. (I have only one brother.) (My brother, who lives in Canada, is a chef. (I have only one brother.) / My brother who lives in Canada is a chef. (I have only one brother.)) → My brother, who lives in Canada, is a chef. (I have only one brother.)Prompt: Is the clause essential to identify the noun, or just extra information?
  2. Which sentence is punctuated correctly? • My brother who lives in Canada is a chef. (I have only one brother.) • My brother, who lives in Canada, is a chef. (I have only one brother.) (My brother who lives in Canada is a chef. (I have only one brother.) / My brother, who lives in Canada, is a chef. (I have only one brother.)) → My brother, who lives in Canada, is a chef. (I have only one brother.)Prompt: Is the clause essential to identify the noun, or just extra information?

You do: independent practice · 10 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 5 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Which sentence is punctuated correctly? • The Eiffel Tower which was finished in 1889 is in Paris. • The Eiffel Tower, which was finished in 1889, is in Paris. (The Eiffel Tower which was finished in 1889 is in Paris. / The Eiffel Tower, which was finished in 1889, is in Paris.) → The Eiffel Tower, which was finished in 1889, is in Paris.Prompt: Is the clause essential to identify the noun, or just extra information?
  2. Which sentence is punctuated correctly? • It was a cold, dark night. • It was a cold dark, night. (It was a cold, dark night. / It was a cold dark, night.) → It was a cold, dark night.Prompt: Is the clause essential to identify the noun, or just extra information?

Watch out for

  • Using commas where a full stop (period) is needed.
  • Putting apostrophes in plurals (apple's).

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Commas after fronted adverbials and subordinate clauses.
  • Use concrete materials: punctuation cards.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Move on to: Punctuation between clauses (SAT/ACT); Essential or non-essential? Commas with appositives and clauses.
  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-8.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Commas: restrictive vs non-restrictive, coordinate adjectives

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Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Which sentence is punctuated correctly? • My brother, who lives in Canada, is a chef. (I have only one brother.) • My brother who lives in Canada is a chef. (I have only one brother.)

    • A. My brother, who lives in Canada, is a chef. (I have only one brother.)
    • B. My brother who lives in Canada is a chef. (I have only one brother.)

  2. Question 2

    Which sentence is punctuated correctly? • Students who finish early may read quietly. • Students, who finish early, may read quietly.

    • A. Students who finish early may read quietly.
    • B. Students, who finish early, may read quietly.

  3. Question 3

    Which sentence is punctuated correctly? • Dogs that bark all night annoy the people next door. • Dogs, that bark all night, annoy the people next door.

    • A. Dogs that bark all night annoy the people next door.
    • B. Dogs, that bark all night, annoy the people next door.

  4. Question 4

    Which sentence is punctuated correctly? • The book, that I lent you, is overdue. • The book that I lent you is overdue.

    • A. The book, that I lent you, is overdue.
    • B. The book that I lent you is overdue.

  5. Question 5

    Which sentence is punctuated correctly? • It was a cold dark, night. • It was a cold, dark night.

    • A. It was a cold dark, night.
    • B. It was a cold, dark night.

  6. Question 6

    Which sentence is punctuated correctly? • Students, who finish early, may read quietly. • Students who finish early may read quietly.

    • A. Students, who finish early, may read quietly.
    • B. Students who finish early may read quietly.

  7. Question 7

    Which sentence is punctuated correctly? • Dogs, that bark all night, annoy the people next door. • Dogs that bark all night annoy the people next door.

    • A. Dogs, that bark all night, annoy the people next door.
    • B. Dogs that bark all night annoy the people next door.

  8. Question 8

    Which sentence is punctuated correctly? • She wore a bright, red scarf. • She wore a bright red scarf.

    • A. She wore a bright, red scarf.
    • B. She wore a bright red scarf.

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Answer key: Commas: restrictive vs non-restrictive, coordinate adjectives

  1. 1. A. My brother, who lives in Canada, is a chef. (I have only one brother.)

  2. 2. A. Students who finish early may read quietly.

  3. 3. A. Dogs that bark all night annoy the people next door.

  4. 4. B. The book that I lent you is overdue.

  5. 5. B. It was a cold, dark night.

  6. 6. B. Students who finish early may read quietly.

  7. 7. B. Dogs that bark all night annoy the people next door.

  8. 8. B. She wore a bright red scarf.